INVESTING FOR IMPACT

Investors of all types are aligning values for social outcomes with needs for financial returns and recycling of capital. The result is driving a transformational shift in how we invest and address social challenges in our communities.

By investing new forms of capital into innovative initiatives that seek to leverage business practices to achieve a social purpose, impact investing attempts to achieve a more sustainable and scalable solution to environmental and social challenges. This blending of proven commercial practices with social aspirations is attracting greater amounts of capital from a growing number of investor types, such as large national foundations, institutional investors, endowments, municipalities, venture funds and angel networks. At the same time, philanthropists of all kinds are utilizing both their base of invested assets and grant capital to drive impact through impact investing. The combined effect is producing a new age of innovation among entrepreneurs, business models and capital structures that seek a dual purpose (a “double bottom line”).

A GLOBAL MOVEMENT WITH LOCAL IMPACT

According to the Global Impact Investing Network impact investments are defined as investments made with the intention of generating measurable social and environmental impact alongside financial return. Such investments can provide capital to a range of businesses and funds that generate sustainable and scalable solutions to problems that cannot be realized by negative screen investments or philanthropy alone.

Started in 2015 by the G8, the Global Social Impact Investment Steering Group (GSG) was established to catalyze the global social impact investment market. Below is their introductory video on impact investing.

The Case Foundation, created by digital pioneers Jean and Steve Case, “create programs and invest in people and organizations that harness the best impulses of entrepreneurship, innovation, technology and collaboration to drive exponential impact.” Their efforts to drive social change are focused on three key pillars: revolutionizing philanthropy, unleashing entrepreneurs and igniting civic engagement. To learn more about their current work, click here.

There is a range of investor mindsets. The mindset of the impact investor is focused on intentionally setting out to deliver positive social or environmental impact and financial return. However, many social impact investors are likely to start out with either a traditional financial capital or philanthropic mindset.

Traditional investments are usually made without consideration of social or environmental impact, and philanthropic contributions are generally made without regard to financial returns. Impact investing incorporates “both/and” thinking.

Impact investing lives on a continuum of investing opportuntites. Understanding the primary driver and the underlying business model will help you better gauge your place on the continuum. It is not uncommon for investors to fluctuate across the spectrum based on specific or unique opportunities to achieve revenue and social impact goals.

4 weeks ago

"I started by asking a question… How can we eliminate inequity and catalyze transformation by leveraging the assets and expertise that exist within communities?" Meet Jason Martin from Community Guilds, who created a program called STE(A)M Truck, which deploys a growing fleet of mobile makerspaces filled with real tools and local experts and parks it where kids, and their teachers, can tackle real problems, design solutions and build things together. Learn more about their #GeorgiaImpact here: https://gasocialimpact.com/jason-martin-of-community-guilds/ ... See more

The Emory Impact Investing Group, comprised of Emory College and Emory University Goizueta Business School undergraduate students, invites you to an energizing, educational, and empowering evening focused on the Atlanta entrepreneurship community. Join them on Thursday, November 15th, 2018 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at 1300 Clifton Road, Room W525, Atlanta, GA 30322.

The Global Social Venture Competition is back for its 20th year of turning ideas into impact! If you are a young start-up aiming to make a difference in the world using technology for good, apply to compete in #GSVC2019 to win up to $80,000 in prizes! The deadline to apply is December 3. Learn more at www.gsvc.org. ... See more

Meet Judith of PeachDish: Judith’s food philosophy can be captured in the words of Carlo Petrini, the man behind the Slow Food Movement: “Food should be the most important purchase that you make because it’s the only thing that literally becomes you.” Read more about this innovative enterprise here: https://gasocialimpact.com/judith-winfrey-of-peachdish/ ... See more

Meet Jasmine of GoodrCo.: "For me it started with hunger. I had been working to feed those in our community experiencing homelessness. I was working hard each week to gather food, cook, and serve long lines of individuals on the street- I thought there had to be a better way and that led me to do research on food waste." Read more: https://gasocialimpact.com/jasmine-crowe-of-goodr/ ... See more